Accessories are a great way to express your personal style and tastes. Even with a simple and neutral outfit, you can always count on a great statement necklace or a glitzy pair of earrings to dress it up. Some of us like the dainty selections, while others love to be fashion-forward with their jewelry picks. However, no matter what your preference is, there is always a time to rock it out with your accessories. This is where jewelry designer Colleen Poitras comes in.

Colleen Poitras is a woman who grew up in fashion (her mother was a seamstress) and translated her passion for the industry into a full-fledged career. By combining her passion for fashion with a love of jewelry, Colleen threw herself into design classes and the new chapter of her life was created: launching herself as a creative jewelry and accessory designer with an eye for pairing unique materials and merging them into one unified piece.

Upon first glance of Colleen’s pieces, I was extremely impressed with her use of materials and how she combined the materials to create original, cohesive pieces that are different from what I have seen on the market. Some of her go-to materials include leather, metal, sterling silver and even concrete!

Here are some of my favourites from Colleen Poitras:

COOL CONCRETE…

LEATHER & METAL…

MAKING A STATEMENT…

To learn more about Colleen Poitras’ jewelry designs or to purchase any of these incredible pieces, please visit www.colleenpoitras.com.

What’s the story: College graduate and aspiring writer Andrea Sachs ventures to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. She lands her first job as a second assistant to Miranda Prestly, the powerful editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine, one of the world’s top fashion magazines. Being new to the world of fashion, Andrea is in for a lot more than she bargained for when stepping into this role.

Where: New York City

Why it’s amazing: This movie is amazing because you see Andrea rise up in her position, from fashion-lacking and unsure assistant to a confident, knowledgeable and well-dressed executive. Aside from Andrea’s character changes, Miranda Prestly provides a lot of entertainment, highlighting a lot of the stereotypes of a high-powered fashion editor. Lastly, this film is just fabulously girly and an inspirational flick for anyone who aspires to become an editor or publicist.

What is bad about it: Although the movie hits on typical stereotypes of the fashion and media worlds, it presents those industries in a negative light. Not everyone in these fields are terrible!

Wonderful scene in the movie: When Andrea is made over and goes from a plain Jane girl to a fabulous fashionista. Even her boyfriend is blown away from the change!

Fun Fact: ActressesJuliette Lewis and Claire Danes auditioned for the role of Andy.

During a recent downtown jaunt to Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood, I came across a store called Tatyana. An instant wave of excitement came over me, as I remembered this vintage-inspired brand during a trip I took to Las Vegas a few years back. As someone who enjoys embracing the clothing trends of the great decades gone by, I love that this wonderful brand has landed in Toronto’s fashion district.

Founded by Tatyana Khomyakova, Tatyana produces fashions that are inspired by the eras of the 1940s and 1950s. Each design is carefully crafted, instilling nostalgia from these two decades while keeping up incredible quality and cut to the wearer. Aside from the brand’s beautiful clothes, Tatyana also incorporates shoes, purses, and accessories into mix, which helps any shopper complete their desired look.

Here are some of my favourite things that I discovered in the store in Toronto (that is also online on the brand’s website):

Like every other summer, I have spent the last few weeks looking at the current swimsuit trends and seeing what my new bathing suit addition to my wardrobe should be this year. This season, I have noticed a few key things: the return of the fringe, more one-piece bathing suit selections, and a huge fashion expression of flirty ruffles. Combining these styles with gorgeous colours, this summer is certainly hosting cute swimwear that truly fits different body types, heights, and moods.

Here are some of the great swimsuits that I discovered so far this season:

Beacha Swimwear’s one-piece VELA swimsuit. Originated in Tel Aviv – one of the world’s most vibrant beachfront cities, Beacha is on a mission to create one-piece swimsuits that make all women feel beautiful and confident in their own skin. Their VELA design is flattering, with the two-tone colour block design hitting the body’s smallest point, with great coverage and comfortable straps to complete the look.

Aerie Scoop Bikini with Aerie’s classic mid-rise convertible bikini bottom. American Eagle’s sister company has become one of my favourite stops for swimsuits! The designs are adorable and the pricing is just right. This scoop bikini is great for women who are looking for more coverage along the bust line and more coverage for their behind. The combination of solid colours with a small print is done well and helps to accentuate the body in a positive way.

PINK by Victoria’s Secret push-up Flounce bikini. For the girls who love ruffles, this design is great! The fabulous flounce top is a modern take on the traditional ruffle and is paired with a basic bottom to emphasize the flirty top. This design by PINK comes in vibrant solid colours or bright patterns which will go perfectly on the beach or pool side during the summer.

Got great swimsuit suggestions of your own? Please share them below or drop me an email!